Freezer



Patented oct. 1s, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HOWARD E. BLOOD, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO NOBGE CORPORATION, .A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN FBEEZEB Application led February 27, 1928. Serial No. 257,168.

This invention relates to a freezer and cooling unit to be inserted in the ice compartment of refrigerators for use in connection with a mechanical refrigerating apparatus.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved freezer adapted to facilitate heat transfer from the tray compartment to the evaporation coils and brine tank. In order to accomplish this result, I form the heat. absorbing unit of the refrigerating system as a coil of pipe wrapped about the tray compartment, which is formed as the inner shell of a brine tank, the coil and inner shell being inserted in an outer shell and need be attached thereto only at the front edge which is usually provided with a cover or door for closing the tray compartment.

It is another object of this invention to Y provide a freezer of the type described, the in- .f ner and outer shells of which can each be made in one piece by stamping or drawing operations, the-two shells being oined only at the front, thus making the who e construction less liable to leakage and also comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

It is also an object of this invention to incorporate an integral trap for liquid refrigerant in the outlet or return line of the evaperation coils in order to prevent delayed evaporation of liquid in the return line to the compressor which evaporation would result in frosting the return pipe. The use of such an integral liquid trap adds to the effectiveness of the freezer by holding the liquid in contact with the brine until it evaporates an thereby absorbs heat therefrom.

Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the specification and the accompanyf ing drawing.

This invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawing and hereinafter more fully described.

On the drawing:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section through a freezer embodying the features of ,taken on the line II-II of Figure 1.

. Figure 3 is a reduced fragmentary horizontal section through the front portion of the freezer taken on the line III-III of Figure 1.

As shown on the drawing:

The inner shell or tray compartment is formed as an oblong box closed at the rear by an inte ral end 11 and having a flaring mouth sectlon 12 expanding to a diameter to t within a similar larger envelopinor outer shell 13, likewise closed at the rear y an integral end 14. The front edge 15 of the outer shell is later spun over the edge of the mouth section 12 of the inner shell and the two shells are also soldered or brazed together at this point to insure a liquid tight seal.4

A single length of tubing 16 is wound about the inner shell in' a number of coils in close contact with the shell. Both endsof the tubing project through apertures in the rear end of the outer shell when assembled therein, the incoming end 17 having a suitable connection to an expansion or float valve which is not shown on the drawing. The return or dischargeend 18 of the tubing is bent back on itself to enter a closed box-like chamber 19 set into the outer shell with its bottom resting on the inner shell to assist heat transfer thereto, this chamber forming a liquid trap having an outlet 20 which is cond nected to the suction line leading to the compressor.

A filler opening 21 isprovided on top of the outer shell in order that the space between the two shells may be lled with brine or the like to act as a temperature stabilizer during periods of inactivity of the refrigerating machinery.

A pair of hanging straps or brackets 12 are shown attached to the outer shell to support` the freezer in the ice box.

The inner shell or tray compartment is provided with Shelves Q3 to support the usual trays for freezing ice cubes or frozen desserts. As it is desirable to close this compartment to prevent the absorption of odors from articles in other compartments of the refrigerator, a door 24 is shown covering the entire front of the freezer, the door being hinged at 25.

In the operation of this freezer, liquid refrigerant enters the tubing inlet 17 and circulates around the inner shell, absorbing heat from the interior of the shell as well as from the surrounding brine. The effect of this absorbed heat is to evaporate the refrigeratingagent, the gas so produced, together with some entrained liquid, entering the liquid trap 19 through the pipe 18 Where the liquid drops to the bottom of the trap which is surrounded by the brine Where it is evaporated by further absorption of heat from the compartment and the brine.

It Will thus be seen that I have provided an improved freezer that can be inexpensively manufactured by stamping or drawing from sheet material and that Will improve the efficiency of heat transfer from the freezing compartment as Well as from the surrounding brine.

I am aware that many changes may be made, and numerous details of construction may be varied through a Wide range Without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon, otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a device of the class described, spaced inner and outer shells forming a brine container and having a common ljoint forming an opening into the inner shell, a series of coils of tubing 'Wrapped about said inner shell to form expansion coils Within said brine container, and a liquid trap in said kbrine container associated with the discharge end of the expansion coils.

2. In a device of the class described, intertting spaced drawn metal shells having HOWARD E. BLOOD.

their open ends joined together to define an opening into the inner shell and cooperating to form a brine compartment thereabout, tubing wound upon said inner shell to form a series of expansion coils Within said brine compartment, and a liquid trap extending through the outer shell into the brine compartment, said tubing coils discharging into said trap.

3. A device of the class described comprising spaced receptacles in telescopic relation to afford a brine compartment therebetween and an evaporator coil in said compartment in contact with the outside of the inner receptacle, and a liquid tra-p inserted in said compartment and connected to the discharge end of said evaporator coil. 

